The year 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of the publication of Eve Bunting's "Smoky Night" (Harcourt, 1994; illustrated by David Diaz). As a Caldecott medal winner, "Smoky Night" is the highest profile picturebook centered on an incident related to police brutality and the profiling of Black citizens--the Los Angeles riots,…

Parents' perception of disabilities and special education services can impact the way they interact with professionals providing services for their children with disabilities. In addition, the cultural background of parents plays an important role in their perception of disabilities, as well as how they communicate with professionals. Thus, it is…

Language and cultural preservation efforts among different communities of language speakers in the United States have received increasing attention as interest in linguistic rights and globalization continues to deepen. In addition to mounting evidence of the cognitive, psychological, and academic benefits of heritage language/community language…

The Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (WEL), developed in English, was translated into Korean, field tested, then administered to Korean American adolescents. Means were similar for participants competing the scale in both languages. Challenges to the adaptation process, recommendations for further study of the Korean WEL, and implications for…

Multicultural hermeneutics is introduced as a method of understanding and dealing with marital domestic violence. One Korean-American family case is presented to show how marital domestic violence can be evaluated and treated better from the perspective of multicultural hermeneutics. A number of recommendations are also suggested to change the…

For many Korean Americans, the American dream of building a better future in the United States for their families is realized through a focus on entrepreneurship. Their formula for entrepreneurial success is simple and effective: (1) identifying a business opportunity; and (2) working hard to turn the opportunity into a business success. Korean…

Current models of acculturation and cultural identity are primarily devoted to identifying the course or the levels at which it takes place, but they are severely limited in describing how a sense of self is fashioned out of multiple social and cultural contexts. The acculturative process is impacted, for example, by the reasons for immigration,…

Examines economic and cultural conflicts between urban African Americans and Korean Americans and the roots of these conflicts in victimization of both groups by Eurocentric racism. Proposes a cultural model of mixed-group dialog based on cultural awareness and sensitivity, respect for each others' stake in society, and commitments to continuous…

The wide range of ages, goals, and language competencies of Korean students in U.S. schools poses challenges for English-as-a-Second-Language teachers. This paper examines such factors as public versus private education, family influences, cultural influences, linguistic challenges, and Korean students' behavior in the classroom. It looks ahead to…

Presents an argument against Pyong Gap Min's interpretations of the author's views on Korean immigrant entrepreneurship in Los Angeles (California). Addresses the issues of empirical accuracy and policy implications that Min criticized. Discusses differences between Min's approach to social knowledge and her own. (JS)

Over the last 15 years researchers have taken an increased interest in studying the large pool of recent Korean immigrants. This analysis concentrates on finding how first generation Korean Americans relate and interact with their second generation counterparts. Using studies on the adjustment of first generation Korean immigrants and the levels…

Presents Edna Bonacich's views on the social costs of Korean immigrant entrepreneurship in Los Angeles (California), for both the immigrants and society. Discusses the inadequacies of her arguments concerning these negative consequences. Considers the policy implications of Bonacich's interpretation for immigrants. (JS)

This study of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean immigrant junior high and high school students investigated the association between age, acculturation, cultural adjustment difficulties, and general mental health concerns. Analyses determined that age, acculturation, and cultural adjustment difficulties had significant predictive effects on mental…

Examines changing beliefs and practices among Korean American small business proprietors in Los Angeles around the time of the crisis marked by riots in 1992. It analyzes changing racial and ethnic tensions and whether Korean immigrants' notions of race and ethnicity have also changed as a result of the shift in hiring patterns. Racial meanings…

Operation Manong (OM) is a program of the University of Hawaii at Manoa that assists students who are considered to be underrepresented at the university to gain entrance and to graduate from the Manoa campus. Papers in this series are training materials for OM and are also a link between the university and the larger community. The analysis of…